The Daily Lard 1-29-12

Douglas LeeJan 29, 2012 9:45 AM

Good Morning, Broncos fans! The biggest story out of Indy continues to be the Peyton Manning/Jim Irsay drama, rather than the Super Bowl being played there a week from tonight. In the latest development, Jason La Canfora reported that the Colts had already made the decision to move on from Manning several weeks ago. Naturally, Irsay has disputed the validity of that report, if anyone wants to believe him; Colts WR Reggie Wayne, who's about to hit unrestricted free agency, says the whole thing is like a soap opera.

Meanwhile, the Colts have hired Bruce Arians to run their offense - a week after the Steelers announced he was retiring and Arians said he was pushed out of Pittsburgh.

Broncos

Mike Klis says new Denver strength coach Luke Richesson utilizes MMA drills in his training programs, and that the Broncos also considered Loren Landow - who had helped Denver's players train during the lockout - for the position.

As Jeff Legwold points out, Tom Brady will be making his fifth SB start Sunday, which will tie him with John Elway for most all-time among QBs.

Champ Bailey says that as long as he's selected, he won't turn down a trip to the Pro Bowl.

LBS and SOB react to the shocking news that Tebow won't be getting together with Kim Kardashian anytime soon.

Trimmings

The NFL and NFLPA are reportedly clearing some hurdles on the way to an HGH testing agreement, with game day blood tests no longer on the table.

In his Sunday column, Dan Pompei says the presence of QB Sam Bradford is what led Jeff Fisher to take the money St. Louis job over the Miami one. Plus, the Glazers went with the surprising choice of Greg Schiano in large part due to input from Bill Belichick; the Rams were apparently considering Schiano too, had Fisher chosen Miami. Pompei also reports that new Dolphins OC Mike Sherman could have also ended up running the offenses of the Chiefs and Raiders, and he's hearing that Vincent Jackson wants to stay in San Diego after all.

Meanwhile, the Cards blocked the Bucs' request to interview QB coach John McNulty, who used to be Schiano's OC at Rutgers.

Chicago hired former Chiefs director of college scouting Phil Emery to be their new GM; KC QB Matt Cassel alerted his neighbors to a fire in their house, potentially saving their lives.

The Lions fear that the concussions suffered by RB Jahvid Best are so severe they could end his career; Best turns 23 tomorrow.

Excellent points, man, and I agree with them all. It's sad to see it going this way in Indy right now. He's one of the all time greats, no doubt. But his greatness needs a lot of context. The NFL and its fans love the guy and there is a lot of flash around him all the time. Concrete achievement is just an area that I think gets overlooked with him on a regular basis with a lot of uncritical hyperbole. I felt the same about Elway, actually, as well when he retired. Guy was only second or third in most stats in history (at the time), but was first in wins and first in INTs. Scrappy, determined, fiery, passionate. And I guess what drives me crazy about Peytonball is how surgical and cerebral it is. It feels more like an Olympic sport than a football game.Posted by broncosmontana on 2012-01-30 12:08:11

Karma aside, I can't imagine keeping Manning being good for either party. The only rational reason to keep him on his current contract is if you think: A) he can come back next year and play at a high level and B) his return will vault a 2-14 team back into contention. The first one strikes me as iffy but possible, and the second one strikes me as incredibly unlikely. I think this team would have been, at best, mediocre if he had played. Maybe 8-8 or 9-7, probably worse.

I think if they cut him lose now, it gives the team a chance to start with a clean slate and rebuild properly, and it gives manning a chance to move on to a team where he fits better with their plans.Posted by Ian Overgard on 2012-01-29 16:31:36

I'm not defending Irsay but let's not feel too sorry for Manning. He's accomplished everything there is to accomplish and his body is starting to fail him like every player's will. He needs to quit while he's ahead and save what's left of his health. Furthermore he has the most to lose if he doesn't want to be villinized in Indy like Favre was in Wisconsin.Posted by ohiobronco on 2012-01-29 16:25:20

broncosmontana I'd certainly put Elway in the top 3, fully acknowledging that there is plenty of evidence that he is the best ever. I'd personally take him over Manning. Its interesting to note, however, that in one basically lost Elway year, the Denver Broncos went 8-8 with Maddox/Moore platooning while the Colts went from Super Bowl favorite to bottom feeder without Manning.

The bigger point, though, is can you imagine if John Elway had been dismissed this way? He was essentially the weak link in '98-- Bubby Brister had to play the toughest stretch of the schedule and Denver still rolled-- but it was John Elway's rightful team. So unless Manning simply can't physically play, this is unconscionable. I hope he leads the Jets, or the the Dolphins or almost anybody to a SB victory just out of spite.Posted by drewthorn on 2012-01-29 14:04:57

TJ's got it right. Irsay has shown up for press conferences drunk as a lord, fled town in the middle of the night - literally - with the Colts when the state legislature brought a bill to the floor to consider the team a state attribute. Irsay had sworn, days before, that he had no intentions of moving the franchise. Of course, he and the mayor of Indianapolis had put together a deal well before that insistence that included the convey of moving vans, which loaded up the headquarters in the middle of the night and fled to the nearest state line, fearful of being stopped, before changing course for Indy. Ernie Accorsi, one of the good guys of NFL history, had told Pete Rozelle twice that this was happening, but Rozelle didn't want to 'stir up trouble'. What goes around comes around - sooner or later.

Posted by Doc Bear on 2012-01-29 13:25:37

The Colts are really up crap creek without a paddle. Peyton Manning is 35-36 with $30 million due as a roster bonus before he can trade him, so it is not possible to get any value for him even if he was confirmed to be healthy. If they pay him $30 million and he is hurt, the money goes down the drain just like this year. If they keep him for one year and cut him so they can start Luck, the $30 million gets accelerated against the cap. If they keep him for 2-3 years so the cap acceleration isn't so bad, Luck probably will get pissed and want out. In addition, they have changed the entire coaching staff, front office and likely offensive and defensive systems. The team has a poor talent base which will not be addressed easily if they draft Luck because that is probably the only position of strength on the team. In addition, Manning's cap hit makes it harder from a cap point of view to get talent in free agency.

The problem really gets worse if you think about it. They have to cut Peyton Manning for the above reasons and get nothing for him. The problem is that as good as Luck potentially may be, the odds of him ever matching Manning's career is about zero because Manning is one of the greatest, possibly the greatest (certainly in the discussion), QBs to ever play the game. A Joe Montana/Steve Young transition has only happened once in history, which was Joe Montana to Steve Young. To expect that to happen again just isn't realistic. In addition, Luck is going to a bad team so expecting him to thrive right off the bat again isn't realistic.

At least the Colts got their stadium...Posted by John Hilton on 2012-01-29 13:15:57

You mean, the greatest QB since WRs were allowed to run free, right? I feel bad for Peyton, and I've always been impressed with him, but I still maintain that the best QB the Colts ever drafted won two SBs for Denver. A simple glance at their post season records and the eras they played in is all you need to refute the "greatest ever" thing, imho.Posted by broncosmontana on 2012-01-29 13:06:18

Now I see it. Dunno how I missed that the first time.Posted by Nick (ncm42) on 2012-01-29 12:44:43

I agree. Compare that to the Broncos, who let their coordinators interview, including with the rival Raiders (and one left for Oakland). Classy.Posted by underdog on 2012-01-29 12:40:50

Between that and the whole "moving the team in the dead of night" thing, how do the Irsays not get more venom as some of the worst owners in the history of sports?Posted by Nick (ncm42) on 2012-01-29 12:14:03

Jim Irsay is sowing the seeds of some seriously bad Karma. That $28 million he dropped is nothing compared to the decade-plus millions Peyton Manning has returned to him. It's not an after-school special, but it's on its way.Posted by TJ Johnson on 2012-01-29 12:01:24

Maybe it's just me, but it kinda stinks that a team can block a QB coach from interviewing to be the OC somewhere else. I understand the guy is under contract, but why not allow him to interview for what is basically a step up the coaching ladder?

Thanks for the Lard, Doug...Posted by Nick (ncm42) on 2012-01-29 10:51:56

So the Colts are going to cut ties with perhaps the greatest QB ever for a guy that got outplayed in his match ups with Matt Barkley and Brandon friggin Weeden.... It doesn't make an ounce of sense, and Manning, like always, is handling it like a man and a pro.Posted by drewthorn on 2012-01-29 10:51:54

I missed something about the "Cassel's neighbors/McD" thing...Posted by Nick (ncm42) on 2012-01-29 10:50:50

From the terrific Kacsmar link: "In a game filled with trick plays, Giants’ Hall of Fame center Mel Hein was wide open on the Chicago 30, but running back Dale Burnett’s pass failed to reach him. On the game’s final play, the Giants attempted a hook and ladder, but there was some Red-on-Red violence, as Red Grange tackled Red Badgro before he could pitch the ball back to a teammate."

If that's championship football from 1933, I'm think I'm gonna enjoy our back to the future QB.